Modulshtein feat. MariQ

Modulshtein is an Estonian band founded by composer Aleksandr Žedeljov (b. 1983), clarinettist Marten Altrov (b. 1991) and DJ Aleksei Semennihin (known as DJ Bandit), which since 2017 has released five studio albums. The group’s musical range is so broad and nuanced that it resists easy classification – its influences and modes of expression extend from jazz to electronic music. Behind the name MariQ is the charismatic Südalinna Theatre actress Marika Otsa (b. 1993), who, in collaboration with Modulshtein, wrote the music for the production A Great Deal of Sunshine, premiered in September 2024.The production explored the futurist literary group OBERIU, active in Stalinist Soviet Union – whose members included Daniil Kharms – and its difficult fate, as the group’s avant-garde, linguistically and mentally innovative work fell into disfavour with the authorities. As a natural continuation of this collaboration, Modulshtein’s fifth album Whisper of Muted Lyres was created, featuring the music used in the production – the album’s title comes from a poem by Aleksandr Vvedensky (1904–1941), I Feel Sorry. The collaboration between the musicians and the actress has brought together literary and musical, as well as traditional and experimental modes of expression, creating unusual landscapes of word and sound.